Around college football: Cincinnati is looking for Belk Bowl repeat

Saturday

Dec 28, 2013 at 12:01 AMDec 28, 2013 at 10:46 AM

Tommy Tuberville and Cincinnati are back in the Belk Bowl - and this time he actually will get to coach the Bearcats. Tuberville was hired on Dec. 8, 2012, but didn't coach the Bearcats in last year's Belk Bowl. Instead, Steve Stripling served as interim coach in the 48-34 win over Duke after Butch Jones resigned to take the job at Tennessee.

Tommy Tuberville and Cincinnati are back in the Belk Bowl - and this time he actually will get to coach the Bearcats.

Tuberville was hired on Dec. 8, 2012, but didn't coach the Bearcats in last year's Belk Bowl. Instead, Steve Stripling served as interim coach in the 48-34 win over Duke after Butch Jones resigned to take the job at Tennessee.

The Bearcats (9-3) will try to become the first team to win back-to-back Belk Bowls when they face North Carolina this afternoon in Charlotte, N.C. The Tar Heels (6-6) became bowl eligible despite starting the season 1-5 in their second year under coach Larry Fedora.

Tuberville said he never thought the Bearcats would win nine games, especially in a year in which offensive lineman Ben Flick died in a car accident in September and 16 other players suffered season-ending injuries.

"These kids persevered," Tuberville said. "I'm proud of them. It's been a hard year on them."

Rutgers happy to be close to home for bowl

Rutgers won't lose financially by playing in a close-to-home Pinstripe Bowl.

Janine Purcaro, the university's chief financial officer for intercollegiate athletics, told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., that playing close to home in New York means being able to control costs.

Purcaro said the Scarlet Knights played in the bowl two years ago and made a $44,000 profit. In other years at far-flung bowls, Rutgers lost money, she said.

Rutgers plays Notre Dame today at Yankee Stadium. Next year, the Scarlet Knights will be members of the Big Ten.

Notable

• Nebraska defensive end Avery Moss returned to his home in Arizona to attend to a personal issue and won't play in the Gator Bowl against Georgia next week.

Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini also announced that linebacker Jared Afalava and receivers Richard Wynne and Ishmail Jackson violated team rules and won't be on hand for Wednesday's game in Jacksonville, Fla.

Moss has played in every game, starting three, and was second on the team with 41/2 sacks and six quarterback hurries. The three suspended players were not major contributors.

• Longtime Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said he will retire following Tuesday's game against Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

Aliotti has spent 24 years with the Ducks, including 17 as defensive coordinator.